tough windy day.....

So I had the man flu - so I cancelled with usual SWOFFING partner Peter for fishing on Saturday

Come Saturday - I was feeling better, so the two of us went to the Darwin Boat show - not exactly the same caliber as a boat show on the east coast but all the same we went. Peter was chasing a 6 kilo or so, 7 foot spin rod for his wife to use on outings

We pulled apart every boat there as how unsuitable they were for fly fishing and the prices where ridiculously outrageous when compared to what I have been researching - like a 21 foot glass bay boat from the US, even with freight being far more value for money. But the comparison was unfair given the main market up here is for trolling the rivers for barra or dangling large lead weights with bait attached into deep offshore holes.

All this talk of fishing and the bits that go with it - got the optimism flowing and with flu tablets in hand we head out sunday morning to see what would eventuate.
5:30am at Peter's (well I was a bit late unusually), but on the water shortly after, and almost to Lee Point by the time the sun started peeping over the city.

The water is slightly choppy, with wind around 5knots from SE.
High tide was about 2 hours before, low tide would be 11:20am

Conditions were very similar to the time I got 7 tuna to hand and dropped 5 a few weeks ago
But it was tough going, with wind and tide not quite right
Tuna that did show were very flighty and then gone as if they had never been there
The birds were everywhere but not concentrated except above large schools of long finned trevally
Wasted a lot of time a lot of time chasing these

We cruise about and cruise about, we follow birds, we chase splashes
Eventual Peter spots some more splashes near a shallow reef in close to shore, water depth 13-16 feet at that stage of the tide.
Peter gets in a cast as we cut the motor Momentum of the boat doesn't allow me to get any movement on the fly but Peter testing out his "wife's" new spinning rod with a chrome lure, with a new reel with a high ratio of of retrieval hooks up and the fish goes off, almost spooling him before I could get the electric motor following the fish that seemed to be heading for the horizon and nothing was going to stop it

Peter starts to get some line back and the worry of being spooled ebbs and we start to enjoy the initial speed and then prolonged power of these wonderful fish

With that fish at hand, we quickly travel back to the previously hook up area hoping for more
Again the fish are there
Peter again hooks up first, this fish not running as hard so I risk cast back into the region we are drifting away from due to wind and tide

The flyline is, amazingly all laid out nicely for a change - no crap cast, no tailing loop, for once a lovely tight loop unfurling behind the boat to lay straight out on the water. I give the fly a few seconds to sink.

I hear Peter's reel singing as line is being rapidly ripped off the reel against his drag.
I turn to see what direction it is running thinking I may have to repeat the previous episode of chasing his fish with the electric.

I start to strip my line in as fast as I can (to then assist Peter) and I only get two strips in, and the line comes up tight.
You beauty!!

With Peter's fish heading one way and mine the other it is a bit crazy for a while. Peter gets his close to the boat, mine is heading for the same horizon as Peter's first fish. I have 10 or 20 wraps of backing left by the time my fish stops its first headlong run.

Peter's is circling the boat by this time but it bends the light single hook he had on the lure and gets off when almost to hand.

Now I can concentrate on my fish. I start to get line back but this fish is dogged in its struggle for freedom.

I get the fish back to the boat but unlike my tuna from my last successful tuna trip this fish starts the circling and diving deep when it can.

It puts up a valiant fight.

I was using my 7 weight so I could not really put too much pressure in it, though I did put one or two times a mighty bend in it.

While I was working the fish hard with rod direction changes and trying to flip it over on the turn - that fish really put it to me and it took far longer than previous tuna I had caught at Lee Point to get to hand. Though in my defence I was handicapped (my excuse) as when bleeding Peter's fish at the back of the boat and he was motoring back to the hook up area - I was laying over the side and rolled a canopy support inbetween a couple of ribs. Talk about getting soft - it hurt like hell.

Eventually we got the fish to hand (82cm to fork) and we head back to previous hook up area

But by the time we got back to the hook up area - the tide had dropped and the fish had gone. - bugger!

With a taste of success we keep hunting and chasing but no more tuna.
We fish a smudge in the water that is a mixture of tiny bait, a heap of small queenies and a couple of larger specimens circling the area.

We get a few queenies, Peter drops one large queenie that spat the lure during a very high but totally  unattractive - jump-twist and flop back into the water

We chase these quite a while, for the last part of our time the fish seemed to be doing some sort of mating ritual rather than taking bait off the surface. up rapidly and back down. We try various flies and lures to no avail.

I did hook up strangely and unexpectedly a bat fish and a barracuda.

Also had a nice Tarpon on for a bit - that broke me off and then proceed to stick it to me by porposing and high jumping in front of the boat with my fly in the corner of its mouth.

Eventually the wind which has moved around to the north creates waves and chop too ugly to remain at this location and we head back to ramp. Defeated for most of the day with the frustration of chasing and chasing but re-addicted by the one tuna we caught each - and left wanting more of that sizzling run and power!

OH, again the fly for the day was the silicone surf candy (its on its cheek - was right down its throat during the fight with the leader tucked safely in the corner of its mouth - so lucky given the extended fight!)

I want more! 

What about you?

No fly fishing but some fly tying at least

Most free time lately has been working around the tradies at our new house  which has occupied most weekends

But with wife away on conference this week, and a couple of school camps over the next two weeks however gives me heaps of brownie points for fly fishing opportunities

So while I can't be on water as much as I like - at least plenty of time for fly tying - well once rugrats into bed and asleep of course - so have been tying flies in the evenings (and in non class lesson at work!) on a great note: the youngest daughter is showing a great interest in my "man craft" of fly tying - might be a next generation tyer in the family.

So over the last week........

Firstly tied 50x 2/0 clousers - had heaps of size 1 tiny whities but need a few larger clousers for the bigger pelagics currently targeting in open water (above wrecks and reefs etc)

Great simple fly to tie - catches everything!
while some bag the fly out - it is a must have when all the 'realistic' flies are not working.

While bucktail was the originally material use for the pattern when it arrived on the scene in 1987 - thanks Bob C (30 some years ago, been that long that I have been tying it!), the range of synthetics is vast and far more durable, then again a while ago I exclusively  used marabou which is very fragile in a pelagics mouth - go figure! Have also used goat hair and calf tail for smaller hook sizes this prefered to synthetics for tiny versions.

A great fly as most will tell you and to quote Lefty Kreh

I believe that this pattern is the most important and effective underwater fly developed in the past 20 years. During the past three years I have been able to catch 63 species of fish in fresh and saltwaters around the world with this pattern!

— Lefty Kreh 1994 in The Professionals' Favorite Flies

I tend to tie the pattern more traditional in style (I think that's the term for my versions) than some clousers out there that use a crazy charlie style wing where both wings are on hook point side of shank.

Rather............
I tie in eyes first on top of hook shank - half way between hook point and hook eye
Then I tie in a touch of flash material two or three strands for 1s-2/0 sized flies (some use more)- wrapping this material to hook shank most of the way to hook bend (less fouling of flash material hopefully also keeps the flash inside of the two wing material tufts - hopefully to create depth and subtlety of the flash

Some tie the flash material long, well past all the other materials but I like mine imbedded in other materials (less tail nipping??? who knows but works for me!)

Next tied in is the first wing material - this is the wing material that is usually the lightest colour, the one that will be on bottom of pattern as it moves through the water after being inverted by the weight of the eyes (it's all about the physics - I am sure someone has explained how and why the fly inverts somewhere on the web - look it up maybe when you have a bit of time)

I wrap this wing material on top of the hook shank from in front of the eyes to about ten wraps of thread past the tie in point of eyes as this helps stop the eyes from moving if your tie in method is a little slack (a few thread wraps under eyes and a couple cross wraps over eye tie in point helps too) - adding a touch or brush of nail polish with each material added to the hook - this helps to make fly more durable.

A side note - the length of the wing material is usually between 1.5 to 2 times the hook shank length but it really depends on the material you have and what you are tying the pattern for. but that's a start for wing length at least

I then turn hook over in the vice and tie in second tuft of wing material, wrapping it from hook eye to just in front of the eye tie in point - causes the wing to rise slightly - so when the fly is stripped the material pulses and then spreads - adding more movement to the pattern - well I think so anyway

And that's it - tie off thread and give another coating of nail polish to the thread areas!

So tie it, better still tie 20 of them!
Take them to the water and get one of them in the water!
It's how you get a fish to tighten your line! it makes you smile lots!
Go for it! Just do it!

Last lot of flies tied during the past week - were 42 silicone surf candies

21x 2/0 and 21x size 1

(was tying 20 of each but must have lost count somehow!!)

Need a heap of these as I keep giving them away to people, 5 or more at a time

Search through my past blogs - somewhere you will find a step by step blog entry on how to tie these very successful patterns - I never launch the boat without them! A full box of them just in case!

Looking forward to using them all - hopefully on coming weekend for at least one day out of the two available

Tight lines everyone

first tuna from weekend

So the fight was only 12 or so minutes but it felt much longer
(edited the slower boring bits out so not to put you to sleep)

But I got such a buzz out of it
Watched the whole thing myself so many times - reliving the scenario enjoying every moment again
Worse still I want it again! can't wait till next time I can get out there and chase them

Will probably end in tears for me as this was an exceptional one off day of absolute SWOFFING with the fishing gods smiling on me and and that is a very rare thing for me

Day started off that usually way of no fish god smiles with no fish showing except for flighty inconsistent and sporadic longtail tuna always teasing my from afar - with four hours of chasing then casting and chasing then casting and chasing then casting (you get the idea!) for only one half take

But then the stars aligned perfectly and the tuna ate my flies with abandon for a bit over two hours

So seven tuna for the day to hand - lost three others at various stages of the fight
(see previous blog for full trip details)

This video was just on the was the first tuna for the day - enjoy
(sorry about some wind noise and a small drop of water on cam lens)

4 hours of boredom and then - YEEEHAAAAHHH!!!!!

So I have had a few trips recently - was going to write something - but other things kept getting in the way

On these thrips got a few big queenies, a lot of nothing most times, a very short trip with wife and daughters too
Did see a lot of tuna that was chased and missed - a couple of tiny fish most trips to feed the cats
The girls had a great time on their outing when a large manta ray was doing somersaults in the water right at the side of the boat

Was that all I would have for fishing ?? = Then I realised that was almost it for my four weeks of school holidays
Most of the time I was doing this

Great for the casting arm but it ain't no tight line zinging through the rod guides is it??
Been working around the tradies at my new house for most of the four weeks of the school hols

So with students back at school next week - this weekend was the only one where i would get one more opportunity to get a fish in

So the wind forecast was gentle as - so the plan was to get on the water Saturday morning
Boat all hooked up and loaded the night before but on way to ramp stop to get a bit of fuel and ice for the ice box (always a potential threat to catching fish)

I launched easy as and was heading past Stokes Wharf at 6:43am - just as a big cruise ship was tying up to the wharf (wife wants to go on one of these one day! - me ?????)

I was going to call a couple of guys to be the deckie of this adventure
But I am a bit anxious about the boat - motor sounds crap even after a few grand fixing it
The crack in the hull is back - (never be able to sell the rig and upgrade if I keep writing about this!)
(when I get to rural block I will strip everything off the hull and really get it fixed - by then I might be able to get a new donk for it too????)
(leaked about 15 litres for the 10 hours on the water today - so not that scary but worrying at least!)

IN the positive tho and through a good mate with some bartered few flies and a wooden fly box to carry them in, for a second hand deep cell battery for the new electric - Thanks big time!

Anyway back to the SWOFFING
I avoided Weed Reef this time even tho tide was not too bad for the gravel bar at Weed Reef - instead I headed straight for Lee Point

The idea was to fish the drop - maybe raise some big queenies hiding against the reef edges to the big articulated poppers I had tied recently for such a scenario. Was also hoping for a heap of bait passing through with the tide and being funnelled through the gaps in the reef at the bottom of the tide.

Awesome sunrise too!

I am out at Lee Point by 7:40
The wind is about 8-10 knots - far more than forecast (that was a given!)

I motor around searching, go halfway to Buff creek and turn back to my usual haunt as nothing seen
Here I snag a couple of baby fish - two garfish and a wrasse with awesomely blue canine teeth

I almost go to sleep with the slow action.
I play on my phone - boring!
I check all my knots - boring (on all five rods i had in the boat)
I check my fly 15 boxes (you can never have too many flies given so many scenarios in a day!)
I cast a few times - rest get bored and cast a few more times
Anything to pass the time till some thing happens
I almost head back to ramp but the tide while a neap that might let me get boat out - the day was just too awesome - so why not wait a bit longer to see what happens

The solar luna charts said 11:20 was the time this might start happening

And for the first time in awhile right on queue to the prediction - the fish start showing
Now I HATE with a passion frantically chasing tuna about
Especially when that which is hitting the water surface in one or two tuna and infrequent and inconsistent
But I am so bored even I start to give chase

I zip here and zip there - get close but no cigar (or tuna as is the case)
Much rather be bored!
But the tuna even tho sporadic seemed to be working a couple of "wind lanes" of foam and mangrove leaf
Maybe also because the baitfish where hiding in the flotsam

The slowing tide and medium strength wind were working perfectly for me to position the boat
and drift along the wind lane
I firstly chose the outer wind lane and spent a hour or so frustrating my self

Once I got close enough to get a cast in and got that soft tightening of the line as a tuna mouthed the fly but I just wasn't good enough for whatever excuse to stay tight

But like every young man getting this first bit of you know what - no matter how bad it is - I just had to get more - bugger the boredom and frustration - I wanted that first caress of the fly transferring up the fly line to my tense fingers like you couldn't believe!

After another hour of 'almosts' - I see that there is a fair bit of surface action between the inside wind lane of flotsam and Peter and my favourite reef

There is a few milkfish in the same area distracting me from my prime target - and I have no scum flies in my many boxes so. They are huge! They are not just sipping or scooping food off the surface - they are actually chasing something, with slashing and quick changes of direction regularly - scum eaters only my arse! I have one sip my silicone surf candy meant for a tuna nearby - and I feel the hook point take the meerest piece of lip and tear as the milkie feels it too and screams off for the horizon - Man! They can motor with afterburners! Especially when over a meter in length

I position the boat on edge of reef a few hundred meters east of our favourite bit of reef
I don't chase, I just drift along the wind lane hoping the marauding tuna come within casting distance. The casting arm is warmed up now and I am getting some good distance - even if the flyline is a little waving and wobbly as it cuts through the air). Some drifts not a cast is made - others I get quite a few cast in - but not always effective

And then it is like I am in the fly fishing gods favour as there are tuna all around me
No need for long casts just dangle the fly out of the tip of the rod (not really but you know what I mean).
I have never seen so many tuna in such shallow water.
I watch the tuna zipping about in the almost clear water and pick my fish to lead and tempt with the fly

I get 7 in total in about two hours (am i stoked or what!!!!!) - all mirror images of each other between 80-82cm long and very strong - each one taking me well into my backing
The first one was such a buzz after chasing them for hours
I giggled like a school girl (well sort of) and after I knew the hookup was firm
It takes so much backing I almost see the last of backing streaming off the reel

I get a little worried in won't stop
So I start the motor and give chase - steering and changing speed as the fight ebbs and flows

Absolutely enjoyable to say the very least

Will put together a video of the first fight and put it up soon - these fat torpedos are the best fun out there !!!!!!

I dropped one or two tuna within moments of hook up - why ???? oh well, let's hope that next group comes close - yes! I am on again!

in the next couple of hours Only once in a couple of drifts of 400-500 metres did I not get the chance to cast to feeding fish
Once I was totally exhausted from the struggle with tuna and they are teasing me by actually bumping into the boat and me with having just caught one and the line fully in the reel couldn't even cast to one of the 15 or so cavorting around the boat - when I final get my act together they are gone - me laughing the whole time! - what a clutz I can be when the adrenalin is rushing though me (at many other times too!)- leader wrapped around tip, fly line hooked on something so small you wonder how it could. even sitting down for a drink and they breach the surface near by but are gone by the time I grab rod and am ready to cast (stupid old man!)
Lucky lots of tuna about - as even I can catch a few today!

But the day didn't end there - - yes there's more

The tuna turned off and disappeared like knock off time for teachers at the end of term
One moment everywhere - then a desert again

The tide had turned, the wind died off and was changing direction and about to increase
So I head back into the harbour
I check the usually spots but nada on way to ramp

I haven't used East arm Ramp in a while and thus haven't checked out Shellie Island for a long time
I thought I might pick up a few little queenies for cat food - may a biggish one for my dinner
I catch a few queenies and a trevally all small but just what I was after

Then I spy some swirls with large sickle like dorsal and caudal fins slicing the surface
I just couldn't resist targeting them in the calm water on the lee side of the small rock outcrop

In a desperate move - I take a small polarfibre clouser and cut off the beadchain eyes but it is sinking too fast
The hook is a heavy hook - so I tear a bit of foam of a chewed up gurlger fly retired to the matting on the boat deck and feed it onto hook point up to hook bend to slow down the sink rate

It worked a treat! size 1 7766, olive green and a touch of burnt orange polarfibre/craftfur
I cast to one monster milkie and my bad casting land the fly on its head and that was the last time I saw that one
I scare a few more, lead a few by too much
But eventually I get the cast just right, using a figure 8 strip (takes me back to my trout nymphing days) - the fish hardly had to move - but did verge towards the fly and sipped it down - much to my joy and excitement
I have not seen line disappear that fast in such a short time - in a very long time - even the tuna I caught earlier in the day were made to look slow in comparison

Got it back to the boat eventually but three runs it took and eventually it wore through the 20lb leader (or took advantage of the wear and tear of the earlier tuna and I didn't bother to change the leader more likely!)- I almost had it in the net three times before the leader broke - bugger! bugger! bugger!
must target these speedsters more often!

I modified another fly, then hooked up very next cast but it managed to throw the hook (??) near the end of the first run
and that was it! they all left the area
but........

I was living the SWOFFING dream!
Who would not want to live in Darwin with all the SWOFFING ops it has!

Not the first few hours of boredom of course - but definitely everything after!! you bet ya!
Will edit that video tomorrow evening i have of that first tuna - hopefully post it in next blog.

Until then - are not longtails a gorgeous fish! (see below - so fat too!)

Peter's tuna day - without me!

Finally got Peter to write up some trip notes on his Tuna Day (without me! have I said that before?)
here it is.....enjoy!
*********************

Got the disappointing news on Friday that my usual fishing mate, Swoffer Darwin, would not be joining me Saturday for a day on the water.  The missus is away and I just can’t sit at home and twiddle my thumbs - so I figured, I can ‘go it alone’.  

I had a look at the BOM METEYE and found that the wind might be in my favour for a good part of the day.  I also heard the ol’ fishing bloke on 104.9 say that he thought Lee Point would be good given the tides, water clarity, etc.  

Got all my stuff together and set out about 6:30am.  Turns out my boat is just small enough to manage on my own.  It was a bit of a struggle without any help but no worries.  On my way to the launch I realise I’m low on flies.  I think to myself, could the Stig be up?  Of course he’s up, he has two kids under 6.   So I text him and then head off to fuel up.  The boat’s had the same fuel in it for months, have to mix with new before going out.  While fuelling, Stig answers the text and I head straight for his place to pick up a donation of ½ a dozen flies, to go with the other dozen he’d already gifted me.  I have to get my tying room set up toute de suite. J

The run from Dinah to Lee Point was mostly calm and uneventful, with the exception of a bit of uncomfortable quartering sea, salt spray in my face between Cullen Bay and East point.  I then rounded East Point to thankfully encounter better wind/water conditions.

Arrived at Lee Point about 8:15am and set the electric anchor next to the reef.  There was plenty of visible bait in the water and soon after - the mackerel showed up.  Two of the flies the Stig had just given me were bit off almost immediately.  I tied a wire lead on the next one and landed two small Macks, probably 50 cm range.  Something bigger then hit and broke me off. 

I put on a surf candy and landed three more small macks, all of which were visible to cast to.  While fighting these small, fly stealing fish, I looked out towards Gunn Point and saw several birds about 800 - 1200 meters out.  

I watched this for several minutes before deciding that I better go and check it out.  While powering towards the birds and what looked like slashes, I could tell these were tuna!  My knees started to knock and the heart started pumping feverously.  

I got close to small schools of surface disturbing tuna on several occasions and did my best to follow the birds and slashing fish, jumping from helm to top deck each time I powered in close to them.  

It’s unbelievable how fast these creatures move from spot to spot. It had me wondering if it was the same fish after they’d move 600 meters in what seemed like a couple of seconds.  My tuna following tactics took me further west towards the hospital and I finally got right next to a 30-40 strong school of tuna within a cast length of the boat.  

I cast in front of 3 fast moving fish swimming within 15cm of the surface and watched one turn and grab the Stig’s green and white heavily weighted clouser.  I lifted the rod like any good Canadian would and off it went, burning a line into my left index finger as I tried to get the line off the floor without any tangles. It hit the reel with about 50kgs of start-up inertia and I was into my backing in what seemed like a nanosecond.  yeeh haaaah! (note from editor: read that with a huge Canadian drawl) 

I tried to tighten the drag and got knuckle busted pretty good.  It ran hard into the backing a couple of times and then stopped on a dime on the 3^rd run and started coming back at me as fast as it had left.  I tried to pick up line with my Bauer Jr Mac but all of a sudden it turned and went away again.  I felt it tighten up again and pop, it was gone.  

Disappointment set in and I started wondering what I’d done wrong.  After a couple seconds of deep, analytical brain function, I figured it was my Canadian style trout lift/strike that had resulted in a poorly set hook.  Dang!

So with the vigour associated with semi-success and the feel of the power of these fish, I got back at it and started chasing again.  I chased and chased but couldn’t get close after several attempts.  

I had a dark-side rod along and started looking at it longingly.  Assuming that I could get a jig into them from much further away I broke all my own personal, purist rules and picked it up.  All of a sudden, there were tuna everywhere around the boat.  

With dark side rod in hand, I flicked the jig, hooked up briefly but it came off.  The fish remained close to the boat so I picked up the fly rod again.  The line had been out on the floor and was tangled from the wind so I was unable to cast and all of a sudden, it all went quiet.  

Realising that I was more than able to get close enough for the fly, I put the gear rod away.  I continued to chase what appeared to be groups of 20 or more tuna and I hooked up to 3 more fish on the surf candy and another big minnow pattern I tried, none of which stayed on the line for more than 3-5 explosive seconds.  

I was getting very frustrated and then things died off completely. No more fish.  I thought for sure that I’d missed the opportunity but was happy that I’d been into one good one and a couple of brief hook-ups.  I anchored again and the tide started to turn. 

An hour or so went by without much in the way of sightings.  

The tide was now moving out and I could see a few birds further in towards Buffalo Creek/Shoal Bay.  I motored over to see what it was, assuming packs of small Queenies as we’d seen here many times before.  

To my surprise, it was multiple packs of tuna in what appeared to be 30+ strong schools.  These fish seemed more aerial and aggressive than before.  I motored within a cast length and immediately next to the boat, 30-40 tuna were hitting bait and splashing everywhere, not caring that I was there.  

I put a cast in front of 2 particular fish, stripped several times and both followed fast.  One grabbed the fly within 4 rods lengths with an amazing full side view.  

This time, I strip set the hook much more aggressively and off it went like a freight train in a tail wind.  After multiple tangles of the Rio Leviathan running line throughout the day, I totally panicked as the fish was tearing the line through my hand, unbelievably it all went out behind the fish and hit the reel with similar force of the previous fish earlier in the day.  

This time I could tell that the hook up with good and I played the fish out over approximately 20 mins.  It finally came close enough for the gaff and in it came.  What a moment of excitement that was, my first tuna on the fly!  

I leaned over and hit the button on the GoPro, mounted on top of the motor and held the fish proudly for a few seconds of video.   

Wow, talk about being totally frickin’ worn out and elated after all that.  After calming down, having a cold drink and catching my breathe, I realised that I’d actually been into at least 7 tuna thus far, fortunately having landed one. 

The fish continued to bust up in several places within about 3 square kms.  I followed a couple schools, got close once more but the running line tangled as I tried to put a cast into them.  I cursed and vowed to send Rio a strongly worded e-mail about their shitty, bailing wire running line.  

All went quiet again and I motored back to the tip of the reef where a couple of boats were anchored.  I saw some good fish movement close to the reef so thought I’d anchor there and make some late lunch.  The anchor came on and I laid out a long cast adjacent to the reef.  Just as the line landed on the water, 11-12 tuna swam next to the boat and right under my running line.  

Holy crap, it was amazing to see them in formation like that.  I stripped fast as….but couldn’t see where they’d gone by the time the line came in.  I motored around on the electric and saw some nervous water about ¾ of a cast away.  

I put a cast into the middle of it, strip strip strip and the line came tight very quickly.  I was on again with a great fish.  I followed it out to deeper water assuming it was a trevally after it had gone into my backing twice.  The tide slowly drifted us back towards the reef and I set the anchor about 8 boat lengths to a small tinnie with two local blokes in it.  

They watched closely, wondering what I’d hooked on to. The fish showed itself and it was a bigger tuna.  It circled the boat about 15 times, I horsed this one more aggressively because I was running 30 pound Maxima off the nail knot.  

He had so much power I couldn’t get him close enough to hand.  After 20 or more minutes, I was about to get into gaff position and it did one more pump out past the electric motor, which was on anchor at this point.  All of a sudden, a huge shark, which I’d estimate to be in the 3+ meter range, came up and hammered the tuna right in front of the boat.  I let the pressure off hoping it could swim away but the line went slack and the cut leader came in with no fly attached.  What a moment that was.  Both the guys in the tinnie went mad with excitement having just watched that shark attack. 

Totally spent after the long day and the shark incident, I decided to pack it all in.  I had 8 tuna on in one day with one in the esky so I was satisfied to quit at this point.  Fish were still busting up all over the place, which was hard to turn my back on but it was now 4:30pm and I had 20+ km run and a boat to clean up and put away.  I’m guessing but I think I sighted as many as 150 – 200 tuna within 4 boat lengths throughout the day.   Boy oh boy, it’s great to be home!

 Peter 

Editors note:

and next day he gets into the big bad ass queenfish (93cm his newest PB)

and he said "I will just drive the boat today!!"

two different days - two different prominent fish

So all Saturday I am getting messages
Now these are the types of messages no fly fisherman wants to get after turning down a fishing trip
They went like this
"Just lost a tuna after a 3-4 minute fight!"

"They've stopped - I saw at least 30 individuals- Drive me crazy"

Then a few messages back and forth concerning his faulty start up battery

Then - "TUNA BACK - BYE"

"That was brief"

Later on
'In em again - lost one"

No messages for a while so I write back - "got one yet??"
No reply for a while longer

Then
"Lost another - I am going nuts"

How did this come about........
With Peter keen to get as much fishing as possible with his wife away, when I could not get away from family commitments to be a deckie, he offered others to join but still no takers - so he went by himself

The weather was better than it had been for a while wind wise and the tuna, thus Peter too, took advantage of it

And Peter found himself amongst the tuna more than ever before. These messages where making me go nuts too - sitting at home finishing student reports and doing house work

The next message was - "I finally got one - I am going to faint!"

The selfie he sent just didn't do the fish justice or Peter's efforts to get a tuna while solo on the boat
well done Peter. (remember about sun angles when taking photos please!)

His tally for the day was 8 hooked, one sharked just before the netting took place and one to hand for sashimi

Now we had planned to go together on the Sunday, so I was really looking forward to getting out there at 6am Sunday morning given the above action the day before.

Even tied 20 silicone surf candies and 10 salty gurglers the night before to ensure I was ready to go

Sunday morning Peter was a little stiff and sorry for himself when I arrived, but we eventually got the boat loaded and soon found our selves launching at Dinah Beach Boat Ramp

Launching at Dinah Beach had its usual hassles with "anglers" with no idea, no etiquette, and could not even begin to explain how they do what they do while doing it wrong! (stupid!!!!)
Ensure you can start your motor before you get to bottom of ramp, take the straps off at top of ramp, what ever you do get out of everyone's way while you screw it up!
Better still grow a brain!!!

Anyway after waiting for the crazy brain dead people to get out of the way - we zoomed off
as the water was as flat as

We stopped for nothing till we get almost to Lee Point where we found a couple of tuna porpoising around the surface

A few other boats about with lure tossers on board but sadly kept bombing the fish, we were carefully targeting, by racing into the middle - in fact probably only putting the fish down

Given this we headed on to the Main area we fish in anticipation of a good day's SWOFFING ahead if the tuna were already about

The tide was rising but the reef was already past the point that would trap the bait against it - so that didn't help

So we after a while of looking for targets like small macks, trevs and queenies - close to the main reef - and finding nothing - we head a touch further north to a pinnacle Peter had fished before

On a high tide this Pinnacle (now called Pete's Hump) sits in 10m of water and of about 5-6m in height itself. With no fish showing on the surface and only the sounder showing schools of bait and the occasional big fish being indicated on the sounder. So blind casting it was till we found other action around us. We don't mind blind casting here as we have always found large fish about it. And today proved no exception.

We would cast to the front quarter of the boat and as the line sank and move with the tidal flow towards the back of the boat all the time anticipating a take on the drop and drift, then when at an angle to the back of the boat and the fly had sunk deep, we would start a stop pause or fast staccato or mixture.

(be careful here with your sinking lines as I now have an 8w and a 10w full sinking line that are not that full anymore - bugger!)

Sixth cast I come up tight to a strong fish - backing almost instantly out the rod tip on the first run. The fish on each run for the horizon used the tidal flow masterfully against me. We should have stopped trying to guess the species as eventually the line angled towards the surface and the tell tale image of a large queenfish exiting the water in a manner typically crazy of a queenfish, flopping about as it returns to the water with very if any style or poise.

I was sooooo stoked at seeing the size and thickness of the jumping fish for it has been a while between big fish for me, I have been watching Peter catch them regularly but never quite getting them to hand myself (I am too hard on the fish at times). So this fish was significant to say the least - well if only for my inner ego.

The tightness of the line, the irresistible steady pull of line off the reel - all creating a buzz in me that nothing else can
JUST LOVE MY SWOFFING - bring it on!

Peter missed a couple of netting chances, had it slip off one, then with a final grab that almost saw him fall out of the boat we had it on board for photos

At 91cm the largest in four years

The fly was a silicone surf candy number 1 hook - it took it right down and left a bit (?) of blood on it such was the depth of hook up. I tried several other flies, bigger, and type but the one all the fish wanted on Sunday was the silicone surf candy.

I was using 20lb leader and was very worried during the fight as to whether the leader would wear through (or the fish get taken by a shark like one of Peter's tuna did yesterday). The leader was very frayed so I was lucky

About 10-15minutes later Peter also gets a big queenie
This one 93cm

Sinking flies down deep can be a bit boring but with nothing else showing we kept at it
Peter lost one very strong fish after several minutes of back and forth - things like this kept us casting

I got the fright of my life once when the hugest flash of side on body, that occurred right behind my fly as I stripped - only a rod length from the boat as it slashed at the fly and turned. It had to be one of the biggest trevallys I have seen in a while - so clearly was it seen in the clear water - it is still burnt in my memory of a lost opportunity.
For the few moments after the episode - I was full of excitement, fear and regret all at the same time

Tarpon were also present - they fight so strongly and never give up - as soon as you hook them you know it to be a tarpon - then when on the surface its starts jumping - awesome!

This one went 51cm but I had a bigger one on that finally threw the hook after three contorting jumps and twists out of the water - spectacular fly fishing!

 We caught heaps and heaps 40-50cm queenies as well but you had to be deep, small trevally too.
But as the tide turned the fish moved on and so did we
With nothing about we searched and searched

We found tuna again but small groups spread out and although we came close - no hook ups. however it was fantastic (and frustrating!) to see the tuna zipping about just under the water searching for baitfish

The increasing wind made the whole aspect of targeting the tuna so hard. The tuna also stopped showing themselves

We found some small macks and targetted them for a while - they were very tentative - following the fly and rarely hooking up - but they too kept us casting

We search around the reefs towards Shoal Bay hoping for fish to target but instead found a 3.5-4m croc floating above the reef. As we came near the croc dropped out of sight. We followed along near by hoping it would rise up again but it sulked on the bottom eventually evading us and we lost it amongst the reef area. The smudge in next image is the croc under the water 15 feet down

Come 4pm - Peter was done (me too) so we headed back into harbour to the boat ramp - the trip uncomfortable with the increasing wind and swell

So two days - two species prominent - one on each day - but over all heaps of fun in the local Darwin Harbour. We are getting much better at handling the wind - at times during the day the wind was recorded at 18-23knots.

I was glad to bag a big fish for a change (although Peter pipped it by 2cm only 15 minutes later)

Cant wait to get out there again and get amongst it

Go a head - tie some flies - cast them to some structure or actively feeding fish - and hopefully get a zinging taunt line as the result

See you out there!

Windy day on Darwin Harbour

Well we knew the weather, as in the wind, would be crap!

But both of us were crazy desperate for a SWOFF (a fly fish in saltwater)
Instead of a big long weekend out of Dundee Beach the wind forecast had us fishing day trips in Darwin harbour

But even as we readied the boat at Peter’s at 5:30am – the wind was crap

Launching the boat at 6:20 and the wind was crap

All the wet salt  spray trip to Weed Reef - the wind was crap

I think you get the picture!

Weed Reef was devoid of fish life

However, we kept casting – we kept looking for signs of fish activity

We eventually ended up at the place we have fished many times before at the gravel edge as the water surges off the flats with the outgoing tide

Nothing was showing but in only a few casts Peter was on –

Peter got a few while I got nothing – so I changed to a tiny white clouser

But this usual performer didn’t make the grade

Peter was into several other fish to my one 35cm Brassie trevally

So I upsized my fly

See here the white clouser with mono weed guard I changed to

And then the next fly the much larger blue/grey clouser

the bigger fly was instant success - I got three fish in four casts – go the fly change!

up or down or colour - can't hurt!

But we occasionally were seeing late swirls of fish attacking the flies we were retrieving

So Peter said we should change to a surface fly – both of us kept casting

Then off to my left I spy a larger queenie hitting bait just under the surface - you could see its flash and swirl 

Now the wind is still crap and howling up to Weed Reef from Middle Arm – wind chop was large and intense, not my usual situation for a surface fly as too mush wave noise and too hard to find the fly in all the wind chop

But I give it a go and in three casts get three fish – all good queenies (well compared to ones we had been catching) -  One went 65cm. I went through a hot patch of many fish and Peter also changes to a surface fly

One of my versions of a gurgler - seen here abouts

There is NOTHING better than seeing a fish attacking a surface fly - nothing!

Peter missed a few fish on his surface fly and then after a while it all went quite – except the wind – which was crap! And making the day crap! – Hate the wind!

But both of us kept casting, kept SWOFFING as we knew it would soon turn into a good day

Time now 9am.

We ventured slowly due to wind slop waves to Talc Head

Searched the flats behind it out of the wind and wave – got a bit excited about some slashes in the shallows that amounted to not much – bugger

We then started the cross over of the harbour but those waves were nuts and the wind was … you guessed it _ _ _ _! 

Add to that the ride was rough, bumpy and wet

We search Kaitlyn Beach, Cullen Bay mouth, cruise along the shoreline heading to East point = but zip, nada!

East Point was a bust with nothing showing - but now the wind seems to be getting less.

Despite knowing the ride back would be as rough as - if the wind didn’t lessen – we head off to Lee Point

On arrival some bait danglers are in our favourite spot - how dare they!

So we move a touch inshore from them further along the reef and start casting – nothing again

Round two o’clock – we start to write off the day to bad wind and begin to head back to Dinah Beach boat ramp – but……….

But finally we see some bird action – when close we also see a few slashes

This in the area south of the reef we fish towards the Hospital building in the distance 

Peter on front deck, a meter higher than me, starts to see thick schools of baitfish moving through

They are getting herded up against the shallow reefs by predators and we too join in targeting the predators

Peter sees bait passing boat, next thing he is on – we call it for a tuna given its thickness and length

Peter is pumped to say the least after a day of much wind and only 35-45cm fish for the boat (aside from my couple of larger queenies on the surface fly)

This fish has three great runs into Peter’s backing – he gets the line back and off it goes again

We are thoroughly enjoying ourselves to say the least!

Eventually it comes to hand and we both high fives and give a little (maybe no so little!) “yahoo!” with this 80cm mack

Now we are seeing birds in large groups above many schools of macks, trevs and queenies.

This is more like it 

Peter hits a hot patch and is getting fish after fish. We chase birds, we see nervous water - we cast - we get more fish to tighten our lines – well Peter more than me!

Peter loves his Silicone Surf Candies (see this link for the tying method blog of the fly)

I am using an extended body version of this fly - helps with bite offs with fly tied in at bend of hook which usually works as well as the normal version. But after Peter's many fish I change over to the Standard pattern and am instantly on.

This one particular fly became a sort of lucky charm for Peter. it wasn't bit off by the big mack rather pinned the toothy critter right in the jaw hinge 

He then catches a little yellow tail pike and had to check his leader which had a few nicks in as he didn't want to loose his magic silicone surf candy!

We cruise past on the electric the land based anglers at Lee Pointwho are out of casting distance of the action - so nice to have a boat We are chasing the circling birds whom are over baitfish being hammered by predators as they work along the current lines

To the side of one area of mayhem, Peter sees a small patch of nervous water (bait school tight against the surface  wrippling it) - he puts in a rapid "speccy" cast and instantly hooks up with a hard fighting Golden Trevally that ran rapid circles around him while the boat was on electric anchor.  

It soon also comes to hand - Peter is having an awesome afternoon !
several times he would see surface activity accurately cast near the disturbance and then after a couple of strips of the fly, hook up - textbook!

He still hasn't lost his lucky fly !

Again hooked in just the right spot of the large siphoned rubber lips of the Golden Trevally

 

He did eventually lose his lucky fly but I had given him a box of them for Xmas last year so he was back into fish quickly

We chase birds, slashes and nervous water - and we cast till we could not cast one more time

We caught 30 or more fish in the space of a couple of hours - this after a very hard day in crappy wind and rough water

While we were happy given the conditions earlier in the day to catch a few before 9am - the afternoon with the wind finally under 10 knots - the water came alive and we revelled in its wonder and glory! 
Don't you just love fly fishing in saltwater !! (SWOFFING)

In that final session at Lee Point - we caught fish after fish and you could not have taken the smile off our faces. a great time for the first time back in the SALT for awhile for Peter after being home to Canada for a couple of months

The trip back to ramp was almost pleasant even!

Still I was very tired by the time we had washed the boat and said our good byes

Still had to clean a few fish for daughters and prepare the off cuts for the two cats

But you do what ya gotta do to do what you want to do!

See you on the water

Sunday is a late start on harbour again

Monday might be freshwater - we shall see!

Wind still Crappy!

Here's a crappy video clip on part of the fight with the mack that at the time we thought was a tuna!

my video cam I wear on my hat isn't working so this was taken with my iphone